Welcome to the roundup of the new Android games that went live in the Play Store or were spotted by us in the previous week or so. Today's list is broken up into several segments, ranging from best, average, to mediocre game releases from the last week. So whether you're looking for the best games of quality or are simply looking for the latest gacha releases, you're covered. This week we saw the arrival of a gorgeous textless adventure game, the launch of the sequel to 911 Operator, and the debut of an enjoyable brick breaker that sports an artistic theme. So without further ado, here are the new and notable Android games released during the week of October 19th, 2020.

Please wait for this page to load in full in order to see the widgets, which include ratings and pricing info.

Looking for the previous roundup editions? Find them here.

Best Games

Titles that offer fair pricing, enjoyable gameplay, polished interfaces, or are intriguing

FAR: Lone Sails

Android Police coverage: FAR: Lone Sails is a gorgeous atmospheric adventure game, now available on Android

FAR: Lone Sails is a drop-dead gorgeous game that was ported to Android and released this week, and even though it's a story-driven title, there isn't a lick of text within this release. Everything is told through the game's animations, which is indeed the highlight of this game. Sadly the touch controls take some getting used to, and since physical controller support is absent, players will have to get used to them, though the game is definitely worth experiencing despite the iffy controls. It's also worth pointing out that FAR: Lone Sails only lasts 3 hours or so, so it's a short experience, but still, it's an experience worth the asking price, which is why this title is listed under the best games section in today's roundup. It is indeed a sight to behold.

Monetization: $5.99 / no ads / no IAPs

FAR: Lone Sails Developer: Assemble Entertainment
Price: 5.99
4.4
Download

112 Operator

112 Operator is the sequel to Jutsu Games' emergency dispatcher simulation game 911 Operator. Even though the Android arrival comes late compared to other platforms, now that the game is here, I can confidently say it's an enjoyable sim. Since this is a sequel, it offers much more depth than the original and is 25% larger thanks to its real-world expandable maps. All in all, this is a competent release that offers fair monetization, which is why this is easily one of the better games released this week, especially if you're looking for depth and longevity. Oh, and if you'd like to try before you buy, there's a free demo available too.

Monetization: $7.99 / no ads / no IAPs

112 Operator Developer: Games Operators S.A.
Price: 7.99
3.7
Download

BreakBoard

At first blush, BreakBoard might not look enticing, but if you check out the trailer below, you'll see that this brick breaker actually offers a slick theme. All of the blocks are displayed with a fitting colored pencil style, and unlike most brick breakers, there's no paddle at the bottom of the screen. Instead, you'll draw lines that act as the paddle when the ball nears. This makes for a very active and hectic game as you frantically draw lines to keep these balls going, all so you can clear the latest board. So if you're a fan of brick breaking games, I definitely recommend BreakBoard.

Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $1.00 - $4.00

BreakBoard : Brick Breaker Developer: Gokhan Gumus
Price: Free
Download

Chook & Sosig: Walk the Plank

Chook & Sosig: Walk the Plank is a positively-reviewed point-and-click adventure game that was released on Steam in 2019 and has this week made its way to Android. While I wouldn't call this a popular indie game, it's an enjoyable title that offers a charming atmosphere and an intriguing story that sports many different endings. This means the game offers a fair bit of replayability, so even though it's a short experience at 3 hours, you can easily replay several times if you'd like to see each ending.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs $4.99 apiece

Power Volt

Power Volt is a charming platformer that takes advantage of slingshot controls, which works well with touchscreen play. What's unique about this release is that each of the game's worlds offers its own unique mechanics, so as you progress, the gameplay changes. This means there are multiple areas to explore, and there are even a few boss fights in the mix, so you don't have to worry about things ever growing stale since this game will defnitely keep you on your toes.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs $2.49 apiece

Power Volt Developer: Wave10
Price: Free
4
Download

The Owl and Lighthouse - story collecting

It's rare that I cover idle games since they are numerous and pretty basic, as far as mobile games go, but that doesn't mean there still aren't a few noteworthy idle games out there, and The Owl and Lighthouse is one such title. What's interesting about this release is that you'll be rewarded with new stories to read each time you deliver a carving from the wood you collect, which actually adds purpose to your wood-based grinding. So if you'd like to unlock interesting stories as you grind away in the latest idle game on the Play Store, The Owl and Lighthouse delivers a polished and worthwhile experience that offers exactly that. While the in-app purchases aren't the best, they can be ignored for the most part.

Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $9.99

Do Not Touch

Do Not Touch comes from Nickelodeon and is a free release that offers an engaging augmented reality experience. This app can display a Do Not Touch button, and should you press it, weird and strange things can happen. There are even a few mini-games in the mix to keep kids busy, though proper lighting is definitely recommended since AR can be finicky. At the very least, this is a free release, and while AR can be iffy, what's on offer is enjoyable with the correct lighting.

Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs

Do Not Touch Developer: Nickelodeon
Price: Free
4.2
Download

Average Games

Titles that may not be the best-of-the-best, but still offer fun and interesting mechanics

Spooky Squashers

Spooky Squashers is a simple arcade game supported by advertisements, and while the game's graphics are somewhat simple, the gameplay is enjoyable. You'll play the part of a pumpkin that's hitting a squash ball in a square stage. This ball, of course, bounces off of the walls, and it will be your job to take out the game's enemies by hitting them with this ball. It's a simple setup that's fun in short bursts, plus the Halloween theme ensures the game is fitting for a late October release.

Monetization: free / contains ads / no IAPs

Mergetin

Mergetin may look simple, thanks to its plain graphics, but this is actually a fun game that combines the mechanics of a falling block title with 2048. It will be your job to keep the playfield as clear as possible, but in order to do this, you'll have to place blocks and then combine them in order to clear up more room for more blocks. Much like 2048, the goal is to merge the numbers on these blocks into the highest options possible, which is going to take a lot of skill and patience since you only have so much room to work with. While it's a bummer that the game's advertisements can't be removed, here's hoping the dev eventually adds a way to pay to remove them.

Monetization: free / contains ads / no IAPs

Mergetin Developer: Nebula Bytes
Price: Free
4.7
Download

Hidden Cats: Detective Agency

Hidden Cats: Detective Agency comes from HyperBeard, a studio that already offers several cat-themed titles, including the series Kleptocats. As you can tell, Hidden Cats: Detective Agency offers s similar theme, though this time around, you'll spend your sessions investigating lost cats. That's right, this is indeed a detective game, and the goal is to earn money by looking for lost cats in order to upgrade your office so that you can attract more customers. While the monetization isn't the best, it doesn't interfere with the gameplay that much, so if you enjoy cat-based games, this is an alright release.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $1.99 - $29.99

Hidden Cats Detective Agency Developer: Criss Cross Games
Price: Free
3.4
Download

Sweet Sins Superstars

Sweet Sins Superstars is a title that left early access this week, and it's a release that clearly offers adorable kawaii art. This is a rhythm game, and so perfect timing is the key to success. Mostly you'll spend your time tapping on the screen to the beat of the game's music, and these songs will grow more and more difficult the further you progress. Luckily there's a choice of easy, medium, and hard levels, so no matter your gaming skills, there's content here for you to enjoy. So while the title's monetization isn't the best, for the most part, it can be ignored unless you'd like to unlock more content.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $2.99 - $54.99

Shortcut Run

Shortcut Run comes from VOODOO, a publisher that loves to stuff its game with advertisements. Luckily these ads can be removed with a single in-app purchase, and while Shortcut Run doesn't offer the best graphics, the multiplayer racing gameplay can be fun in short bursts. Each course contains piles of sticks, and these sticks can be used to build shortcuts between platforms as you race, so there is a bit of strategy to this release, which is why the game is enjoyable. So if you enjoy casual games of skill, Shortcut Run is worth a look. Just keep in mind that performance isn't the best.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs $3.99 apiece

Shortcut Run Developer: VOODOO
Price: Free
3.9
Download

Mediocre Games

Titles that are buggy, unpolished, or offer aggressive monetization

NEO:BALL

NEO:BALL finally left early access this week, and the game plays like a neon-infused top-down version of Rocket League, albeit moderately simplified. The game only offers one-on-one matches, and really, the entire thing plays like a match of air hockey, which I enjoy. The game's pills function as strikers, and so it will be your job to get the ball in the goal while blocking any attempts from your opponent. It's a classic setup that looks great in action, though the game is monetized rather aggressively, and since the title often uses bots instead of matching real people, it's hard to recommend this release.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $104.99

NEO:BALL Developer: Fil Games Ltd
Price: Free
4.6
Download

Chaos Combat Chess

Chaos Combat Chess is the latest generic auto-chess game to land on Android, and like all of the rest, this is a highly monetized affair. Ideally, this release offers a fast way to jump into online matches, shooting for the casual crowd. Still, seeing that there are over 50 characters to play with that each offers ten different skill sets, it's clear this auto-chess clone is still pretty complicated while not really bringing anything new to the table outside of the fact it plays in portrait instead of landscape.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $99.99

Summoners Glory: Eternal Fire

Summoners Glory: Eternal Fire is the latest no-name RPG to land on the Play Store, and as you can guess, this is a greedily-monetized release that sports an awful English translation, almost as if this title exists squarely as a cynical cash-grab designed from the ground up to annoy players into spending money to alleviate its many grind walls. Basically, the game is pay-to-win, and while the graphics are great, the casual MMO gameplay that often gates progression leaves a heck of a lot to be desired.

Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $99.99

ILLUSION CONNECT

Illusion Connect is a real-time strategy game where you'll pit teams of waifus against the CPU as well as online opponents. As you can guess, this is a gacha game, so the title's real-time battles take a backseat to collecting waifus, and like all games of this nature, the title is monetized heavily. There's also a stamina system, so you can only play for free for about an hour at a time, which really holds this release back as far as gacha games are concerned. While the drop rates seem okay so far, there's no telling how the game will be mismanaged in the future since that tends to be the fate of generic releases like this.

Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $99.99

Badlanders

Badlanders is the latest generic battle royale from NetEase, and it just entered into a public beta this week. Of course, since this is a beta, the game is still in a rough spot, and so lag is frequent, which really ruins any fun that could be had. Of course, the game is also heavily monetized, and even though it doesn't run that well, NetEase is already offering in-app purchases. It would seem greed is more important than fun with this studio, which isn't a surprise, but it's disappointing all the same.

Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $99.99

Badlanders Developer: NetEase Games
Price: Free
3.6
Download

Know A Worthy New App? Let Us Know!

If you have an application in mind for the next issue of the roundup, feel free to send us an email and let us know.

Important: there are 2 requirements in order for the app to be considered, listed below.

  • the app's launch date has to be no longer than 2 weeks ago
  • it has to be original, ground-breaking, well-reviewed, interesting, fun, etc - the cream of the crop

Now, if and only if the above requirements have been satisfied, fire up an email to this address: oh.no.its.the@androidpolice.com.

1 sponsored placement per week is available (your app would be featured at the top and marked as sponsored) - please contact us for details.